BJP top brass of Ladakh alleges worst discrimination during party’s Govt

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 10: A piquant situation today emerged in Governor NN Vohra’s meeting with people’s representatives as top BJP leaders from Ladakh including Member Parliament and a former party Minister charging previous Government headed by Mehbooba Mufti, in which the BJP was a coalition partner, with perpetuating “worst ever discrimination’’ with Ladakh region and favouring continuation of Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
Thupstan Chhewang, BJP Lok Sabha member from Ladakh and Chering Dorjay, BJP MLC and a Minister in previous Mehbooba Government and Rigzin Jora, Congress MLA from Leh, attended the meeting with Governor NN Vohra, who was joined by his all three Advisors.

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Four Executive Councilors of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh including the officiating Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Councilor, all of whom also belonged to the BJP had separate meeting with the Governor and also complained about stalled projects and lack of adequate support to the Council from the previous Government.

The BJP MP and the MLC told the Governor that number of projects have been stalled in Leh while negligible new projects were taken up during three years of previous PDP-BJP Government. The LAHDC Leh was also denied adequate funds under the State sector, they said. Congress MLA from Leh, Rigzin Jora charged the BJP with failure to bring even a single new developmental project to Leh and instead stalling work on the projects which he had initiated during his six year tenure as Minister from 2008-14. Congress MLA from Nobra, Deldan Namgayal couldn’t make it to the meeting.
When approached for comments, Thupstan Chhewang confirmed to the Excelsior that the previous State Government in which the BJP was a partner was not worried about Ladakh as they failed to come up to the expectations of the people by not giving “adequate financial support’’ for ongoing projects and approving the new projects.
“Our hopes were completely belied by the previous dispensation,’’ he said.
Asserting that whatever Ladakh got was under Governor’s rule, Chhewang mentioned that whether it was Scheduled Tribe (ST) status or LAHDC and other major projects, “we got them under the Governor’s rule and, therefore, we have high hopes from the Governor again that discrimination perpetuated by the previous dispensation will be done away with and Ladakh will get its due share’’.
Chhewang said the State share of the LAHDC Leh was stopped. On the other, everything in Leh i.e. the development was left to the Council. “When you deny funds to the Council, how will it take up development works’’?, he asked and said the Governor today assured them that Ladakh will get its due share in development, tourism and all other major projects.
Chering Dorjay, who was Cooperatives and Ladakh Affairs Minister in Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition Government, also maintained that due share to Ladakh was denied by the Government in development and tourism. “Even our Council was denied the deserving funds,’’ he lamented.
When asked that he was part and parcel of the Cabinet, Dorjay said the vital Departments of Planning, Finance and Tourism were with the PDP. He hoped that the Governor’s rule will undo the discrimination. In fact, he said, BJP national president Amit Shah had withdrawn support to the PDP Government only because of discrimination with Ladakh and Jammu
Officiating Chairman-cum-CEC of Leh Gyal P Wangyal said there was no doubt that due to BJP’s presence in the Government the Council got some benefits but added that funding to the LAHDC Leh was not increased, which was their major demand.
Wangyal, a BJP leader, said they were insisting that Central schemes should come directly to LAHDC Leh and Kargil but this demand was even not met and they continued to be routed through State Government by reducing funds.
Wangyal is officiating as CEC LAHDC Leh as the CEC Dorjay Motup was not well. For the first time, BJP has heading the LAHDC Leh with two-third majority.
Wangyal said he fully stands by the statements of Chhewang and Dorjay.
Congress MLA from Leh and former Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora charged the BJP with “complete failure’’ to bring any new project to Leh and instead stalling work on the projects which he had brought for the district during his tenure as Minister from 2008-16.
“There is no progress on Trans Himalayan Cultural Centre. Work is pending on Convention Centre. Tourism projects have been stalled. Work is either stopped or going on at snail’s pace on roads and other projects. Leh has been given very less funds under District Capex budget,’’ Jora said, adding he briefed the Governor about all these aspects.
In its memorandum to the Governor, the LAHDC Leh demanded grant of 10 per cent SDA in favour of State Government employees serving in Leh, overcoming shortage of doctors in Health Department, , creating of posts for Nubra Development Authority, filling up of vacancies in Leh district in consultation with Ladakh Affairs Department and LAHDC Leh, stopping infringement into statutory mandates of LAHDC, Leh, creation of posts of Bodhi and Arabic teachers in Leh, urgent intervention for functioning of Kashmir University Satellite Campus Taru, exemption from GST ambit in favour of traders of Leh etc. It also listed number of projects for which the funding was required.
The memorandum was signed by all four Executive Councilors including Gyal P Wangyal, officiating CEC, Tsering Wangdus, Mumtaz Hussain and Tsering Sandup.
Sources said the Governor directed the Advisors and the Chief Secretary accompanying him to ensure that all ongoing projects in Leh district are expedited and completed in time with release of funds and more works are taken up as mentioned by the people’s representatives.
The Governor also chaired a meeting of the district officers.
Before commencing his engagements, Vohra called on spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at his residence at Jive-tsal Choglamsar.
During his interaction with the Governor and speaking about growing tensions across the world, the Dalai Lama stressed importance of debate and discussion to reconcile opposing viewpoints and study of philosophical texts to cultivate an atmosphere of tolerance and respect for all religions. He prayed for peace and prosperity in the world.

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